

1 




F 129 
.B7 K3 
Copy i 




EXCURSION 

PLANNED FOR THE 

CITY HISTORY CLUB 

OF 

NEW YORK 

BY 

FRANK BERGEN KELLEY, A. M., Ph. D. 

No. VIII— HISTORIC BROOKLYN— PART ONE. 



PRICE, 5 CENTS. 

Mailed on receipt of price by Secretary, City History Club, 
23 W. 44th Street. 



Copyright, 1905, by the City History Club, New York. 



[6 



The City History Club of New York was founded in 1896, partly to 
awaken interest in the traditions of the City. To that end a series of his- 
torical excursions was planned which, from time to time, it has been found 
necessary to revise in order (i) to correct blunders due to misinformation, 
of which even standard books on New York history are full; (2) to keep 
pace with the march of improvements whereby the topography of the City 
is constantly changing; and (3) to add material as new light is shed on the 
past and as new tablets and monuments are erected to mark historic sites. 

Interest in City history has been awakened since the organization of the 
Club, and many writers have devoted their time to research and discription 
of life in old New York. The following books will be most helpful to those 
beginning the study of local history: Todd's " Story of New York " (Put- 
nam); Goodwin's " Historic New York " (two bound volumes composed 
of 24 monographs; "The Half Moon Series," which may be pur- 
chased separately (Putnam); Hemstreet's " Literary Landmarks of New 
York" (Putnam); Janvier's " In Old New York " (Harper); Hemstreet's 
"Nooks and Corners of Old New York "; "When Old New York Was 
Young" (Scribner); Innes' "New Amsterdam and Its People" (Scrib- 
ner); Ulmann's " Landmark History of New York" (Appleton); R. R.Wil- 
son's "New York Old and New" (Lippincott); reproductions of noted 
historical maps and pictures of old New York (Dunreath Publishing Co., 
46 Wall St.). August R. Ohman, 97-101 Warren St., publishes the best 
modern maps of New York. See also the list of Club publications on 
page 12. 

The following books are of special value for students of Brooklyn his- 
tory: Stiles' " History of Brooklyn " and Stiles' " The County of Kings 
and City of Brooklyn " (W. W. Munsell & Co.) 

Johnston's " Canjpai^ns of 1776 around New York and Brooklyn " (L. I. 
Society Memoirs); ^MsCloskey's "Manual of the Common Council of 
Brooklyn"; R. R. Wilson's " Historic Long Island " (The Berkeley Press); 
Dr. Strong's " History of the Town of Flatbush "; Mrs. G. L. Vanderbill's 
" Social History of Flatbush " (Appleton). 

Object. — "The City History Club has for its object the study of the his- 
tory of the City of New York, in the hope of awakening an interest in its 
traditions and in the possibilities of its future, such educational work being 
for the improvement, uplifting and civic betterment of the community. " 



\\ n h '--^ r_ . 'X- \jrt . Oax>v^_.»^ Ti=»- Oly\^»«-*rv. 




MAP No. I: BATTLE OF LONG ISLAND. 

By permission from Stiles' " The County of Kings and City of Brooklyn," published 

by W. W. Munsell. 



tiDi:^^ 




MAP No. II: HISTORIC BROOKLYN, 1904. 

To illustrate Excursion No. VIII, Sections I and II. 

(Adapted from the New Map of the BonniRh of Brooklyn, by courtesy of August R. 

Ohman, Map Publisher and Engineer, 97 Warren St., New York City.) 



EXCURSION No. Vm. 

HISTORIC BROOKLYN : PART ONE. 

The City History Club of New York has long been planning excursions 
through historic sections of Brooklyn, but it has been difficult to locate 
many of the old landmarks, as very little, and that largely out of date, has 
been written on the subject. Moreover, during the rapid growth of the 
borough during the last few years, m.any historic houses have been 
destroyed. 

This leaflet deals chiefly with those sections lying south of Fulton Street, 
the special study of Bushwick, Williamsburgh, Greenpoint, etc., being 
reserved for a later Excursion. 

The co-operation of all students of local history is desired, in order to 
correct errors in this leaflet and to add new poirits of interest in connection 
with the routes herein described and with later trips to be arranged through 
other parts of Brooklyn and in Queens. All such material will be gladly 
received by the Club, and it will be of special value if an exact description 
of the location and means of reaching it are added. 

SECTION I. FULTON FERRY TO BOROUGH HALL. 

[T/ieJi^itres correspond with those on Map I, p. 4.) 

(i.) Fulton Ferry, begun as a rowboat ferry (1642) to Peck Slip, 
Cornelis Dircksen (Hooglant), ferryman. Flatboats were used for the 
transportation of cattle, and the later boats were operated by sails and 
horse-power until Robert Fulton's steam ferryboats were used about 1814. 
Fulton Street is the original road leading from "Ferry Village" to 
" Breuckelen," which was a settlement (1636) near Hoyt Street, and be- 
came an incorporated village in 1816 and a city in 1834. The road, at first 
a narrow lane, was ordered regularly laid out (1704) to East Hampton and 
was to be four rods wide. It became part of the first post road through 
Long Island in 1764 and was widened in 1839. 

(2.) Brooklyn Heig'lits was the center of the residence section of old 
Ferry Village. As this Excursion describes chiefly historic houses still in 
existence and as few important landmarks remain here, the student is 
referred to Stiles' " History of Kings County," pp. 105-139, and Stiles' 
" History of Brooklyn," Vol. II, chap. 2, for some interesting itineraries 
through the old streets of Ferry Village in 1816. 



(3.) Public School No. 1, at Concord and Adams Streets, site of the 
first district school of Brooklyn (1816, rebuilt 1842), where also was held 
the first (union) Brooklyn Sunday School in 18 16. See taWet. 

(4.) St, James Church, Jay and Chapel Streets, the first Roman 
Catholic Church on Long Island (organized 1822). See tablet and bust 
of the founder, Peter Turner. 

(5.) The L. I. Historical Society building at Clinton and Pierrepont 
Streets (open to the public) ; it contains many objects of historical interest, 
besides valuable books and documents. Its " Department of Natural His- 
tory of Long Island " is full of interest. 

(6.) Brooklyn Boroug-h Hall (begun 1836, completed 1849), is the 
original City Hall of Brooklyn. See in front of it the statue of Henry 
Ward Beecher. The space behind the hall was once occupied by a military 
garden. 

SECTION II. FULTON STREET, FORT GREENE PARK AND 
THE NAVY YARD. 

(7.) Site of the first Dutch Church of Brooklyn, the middle of Fulton, 
near Lawrence Street. It was erected in 1666, rebuilt 1766, and removed 
to Joralemon Street in 1807. 

(8.) Tablet, erected by the Sons of the Revolution, on the Smith Gray 
Building, Fulton Street, corner of Flatbush Avenue, to mark the line of 
defence in the battle of Long Island " from the Wallabout to the Gowanus." 
Near by is the site of Labon's Inn, a road-house of Revolutionary days 
which was occupied by the Hessians. 

(9.) Martyrs' Tomb, Fort Greene Park (opposite Elliott Place), contains 
the remains of 1 1,000 Americans who died in the prison ships in the Walla- 
bout. A monument is soon to be erected over the vault. Ft. Putnam 
stood here during the Revolution, the name being changed to Fort Greene 
during the War of 1812. 

(10.) Brooklyn Navy Yard (entrance opposite Sands Street), estab- 
lished 1801. Here may be seen historic cannon and memorials of early wars. 
The surrounding region was known as The Wallabout (Waal-boght, mean- 
ing "bay of foreigners") and was settled in 1637 by Joris Jansen de 
Rapelje and other " Walloons " or Huguenots who had fled to Holland for 
refuge. 

In Wallabout Bay were located the infamous Jersey and other 
prison ships during the Revolution, and near by in a vault, just outside 
the Navy Yard, rested the bones of the prisoners until removed in 1873 
to Fort Greene Park. 



SECTION III. REVOLUTIONARY TRACES. A. NEW 
UTRECHT. 

Take ^th Avenue Elevated R.R. to Fort Hamilton. 

N. B. Ett route to Fort Hamilton see the tablet, erected by the Sons of 
the Revolution, at 5th Avenue and 3d Street (near Elevated R.R. station), 
to commemorate the Vechte-Cortelyou House, built 1699 by Claes Adrien- 
lie van Vechten and later occupied by Jacques Cortelyou. 

Here Lord Stirling made his famous defence during the Battle of Long 
Island. This house and others nearly as famous, including the Bennett- 
Schermerhorn House at 3d Avenue, near 26th Street (erected in the 17th 
iTentury on the site of the original house built by Bennett, the pioneer of 
" The Gowanus "), and the De Hart-Bergen House at 3d Avenue, near 
37th Street (erected before 1679 by Simon Aertsen and described in the 
Labadist Jour7tal) have only recently disappeared. 

New Utrecht was one of the five Dutch towns of Kings County and 
was settled about 1654-7 by Jacques Cortelyou whose house (used as 
Howe's headquarters) stood in the Fort Hamilton grounds until lately. 
Here at The Narrows Verrazano first saw New York Harbor and Hud- 
son's men landed just below on Coney Island to bury the body of John 
Colman. 

At Denyses Ferry (near the foot of Bay 9th) the British landed 
August 22, 1776, The scenery has changed very little since that day. 

The military works at Fort Hamilton were begun 1808 by Mayor De- 
witt Clinton, and the present fort was constructed in 1825-31. 

Fort Lafayette originated as " Fort Diamond " on Diamond Reef 
during the War of 1812 and its name was changed about 1825 to honor the 
French hero, who was then visiting New York. During the Civil War it 
was used as a military prison. The interior was burned in 1868, and it has 
since been used for the storage of ordnance, etc. 

Go up i6th Avenue to 84th Street and walk East. 
See several Dutch houses (one at No. 1750, said to have been a 
British officer's quarters), and the Dutch churchyard, where now 
stands St. John's Lutheran Church. The New Utrecht Reformed Church 
occupied this site (1700-1828) until the new church was erected at i8th 
Avenue. See tablet on this building and in front a flag pole on which 
is fastened a tablet to commemorate the original "liberty pole" erected 
here in 1783. See the Van Pelt Manor House and an old mile-stone 
occupying the corner of 82d Street and i8th Avenue. 



B. PROSPECT PARK. 
{7 he figures correspond with those on Map II, p. ll ; see also page j^ 

(ii.) Battle Pass Tablet (on the east drive near the public play- 
grounds), to mark Valley Grove and the outer line of defence in the Battle 
of Brooklyn. The chief part of the battle was fought in the region now 
included in Prospect Park. 

(12.) Maryland Monument, on Lookout Hill, erected through the efforts 
of the Maryland Society, Sons of the American Revolution, to honor 
"Maryland's Four Hundred," who, on this battlefield, August 27, 1776, 
saved the American Army. 

For full accounts of the Battle of Long Island see Stiles' and John- 
ston's works (p. 2). 

SECTION IV. A. FLATBUSH. 

( The figures refer to Map No. Ill, p. 11. ) 

Settled by the Dutch in 1651 ; called Midwout, Midwoud, Medwoud r 
later, Vlacte Bos (" wooded plain "). 

Take Brighton Beach train to Prospect Park, or surface car to Flat- 
bush Avenue ajid Maple Street. 

The old town extended from just north of this point south to Paerdegat 
Avenue (Ave. E). Flatbush Avenue was the old village street and along 
its stretch of two miles may be seen a number of old houses of Dutch 
architecture. The Bedford Road met Flatbush Avenue near the north 
end of the town and the two roads branched out to Brooklyn and old Bed- 
ford Village respectively. 

Route south on Flatbush Avenue E. and W. refer to the side of the 
street on which the house is situated. 

(13.) Leiferts Homestead (pre-Revolutionary), E. corner of Maple 
Street. 

(14.) Vanderbilt Homestead (about 1790), W. opp. Rutland Street. 
See Dutch oven and fireplace in the cellar. 

(15.) Birdsall House, W. No. 612, famous for its ivy and garden. 

(16.) Site of Melrose Hall (Built 1750), E. cor. of Winthrop Street; 
noted for its legends. 

(17.) Flatbusli Dutch Reformed Cliurcli, W. cor. of Church Avenue; 
built 1793-6 on foundations of the second Church (1698), which was on the 



site of the original building erected in 1654, this being the oldest church on 
Long Island. See tablet erected by the Colonial Daughters of the 17th 
Century. In early days the dead were buried beneath the church, and for 
many years no tombstones were used for fear of attracting the attention of 
the Indians. In a part of the yard unmarked by stones lie the remains of 
many who died in the Battle of Long Island. The church was used by the 
British as a military prison. Many of the epitaphs are in Dutch. 

(18.) Erasmus Hall High 5^^7tf/ (formerly Academy), E. near Eras- 
mus Street ; built 1786 by private subscription (Hamilton and Burr con- 
tributing), and chartered by the Regents 1787. Wm. Alex. Duer, son of 
Lady Kitty Duer, was an early graduate ; in 1797 John Henry Livingston, 
first Theological Professor of the Reformed Church, was its head. It 
became a public high school in 1896, and is now being greatly enlarged. 

(19.) The old Striker House is at 2243 Church Avenue, just a short 
distance east of Flatbush Avenue. 

(20.) Site of J. C. Bergen House, N. W. cor. of Albemarle Road, built 
1735. When occupied by David Clarkson in 1776 it was sacked by the 
British, and later it was used as a military prison. The house was torn 
down about 1902, but the foundations may still be seen. 

(21.) Duryee House, E. bet. Vernon Street and Duryee Place, was oc- 
cupied by Lord Stirling in the Revolution ; much changed in appearance. 

(22.) Lott House, W. (1084 Flatbush Ave.). See outdoor kitchen 
with Dutch chimney, probably used by the slaves. 

(23.) Yanderveer Homestead, E. (No. 11 59) near Avenue C ; built 1787 
(or 1798) on the site of an earlier house. The land on which the house 
stands was granted to the ancestor of the present owner in 1660 by Gov. 
Stuyvesant. See quaint hall and door and the great barn of probably a 
much earlier date. 

(24..) John Ditmas' House, W. just opposite, of unusual Dutch archi- 
tecture (gable-end not turned to the street). 

(25.) Henry S. Ditmas House, W. bet. Foster and Newkirk Avenues; 
built about 1800 ; notice Dutch door, 

(26. j Cortelyou-Vanderveer House, E. (No. 1249) near Glenwood 
Road. Just east of it was the well-known Vanderveer Mill bet. Paerde- 
gat Pond and Canarsie Lane. This was the first Long Island windmill, 
and was built 1804. It was used as a refuge for negroes during the Draft 
Riots. 



lO 

B. FLATLANDS. 
In " Niew Amersfoort," the Dutch name for Flatlands, was established 
1624 the first Dutch plantation on Long Island. The Canarsie Indians 
occupied this region, and in the great shell heaps at Canarsie and at Ber- 
gen Beach may be found traces of their wampum industry. Here the 
Indians and their Dutch successors raised crops of maize on the " Great 
Flats on Flatlands Plains," The " Indian Path " ran from Brooklyn 
Ferry to Bergen Island following in part the "King's Highway " of to-day. 
The first patent recorded was in 1636 to Andreas Hudde, and a local 
court was establishad in 165;;. Tnis region resembles Holland in its gen- 
eral flatness, marshiness, dikes and creeks, and its outlook over salt 
meadows and Jamaica Bay, which is often dotted with slow-moving sailing 
vessels. 

Take sicrface cars dozun Flatbush Avenue to King's Highway. 

(27.) Flatlands Church, built 1847-8, on the site of former buildings 
of 1662 and 1794. Some of the original colonial furniture is in the manse. 
Near the church is the old graveyard and the old school on the original 
school lot. Notice the new public school just north. Several Dutch houses 
and old barns may be seen in the neighborhood. 

Continue on the car or walk South on Flatbush Avenue and East on 
Avenue N to Mill Lane. Go South to 

(28.) Schenck-Crooke House, built about 1650. See the great rafters 
which are built ship fashion and the old fireplaces. 

Return to Avenue N and walk or ride East to the 

(28a.) Bergen Homestead on E. 72d Street (Bergen Beach), built about 
250 years ago. See the old fireplaces, Dutch door and knocker, 

C. NEW LOTS AND CANARSIE. 

Take Church Avenue car from Flatbush Avenue to Rockaway Ave- 
nue : go east on New Lots Road; or take East New York Elevated R. R. 
to Pennsylvania Avenue and walk south to New Lots Road. 

{29.) Wyckoff House, near Remsen Place and Canarsie Lane (take 
Church Avenue car to Remsen Place). The house was built in 1664 and 
has been but slightly changed. The Wyckoff family still occupy the 
house and have many heirlooms of Dutch days. 

(30.) The Tan Sinderen House (corner of Junius Street), over 200 
years old, gambrel roofed, altered within, but contains old Dutch furniture. 

(31.) Snedeker House (two blocks further east), about 155 jears old, 
has characteristic Dutch doors. 

(32.) Rapelje House (No. 349 New Lots Road, still further east), 175 
years old and in good repair. Some of the old shingles remain. In the 
parlor Ethan Allen was entertained by Major Rapelje, 

\ 







MAP No. Ill: HISTORIC BROOKLYN, 1904. 

To illustrate Excursion No. VIII, Sections III and IV. 

(Adapted from the New Map of the Borough of Brooklyn, by courtesy of August R. 

Ohman, Map Publisher and Engineer, 97 Warren St., New York City.) 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



III II 



III III 



12 014 223 628 4 

PUBLICATIONS OF THE CITY HISTORY CLUB. 

Syllabus of a Course of Study on the History' of New York, with sug- 
gestive questions on the Dutch Period, to cents. 

Bibliography of the Dutch Period. lo cents. 

City History Club leaflet No. i, " An Early Excise Law; The Currency 
of New Amsterdam " (translations of early Dutch laws). 5 cents. 

City History Club Map of New York in the English Period. 5 cents. 

Club Song (old edition). 5 cents ; new edition, illustrated, 35 cents, 

Historical Postal Cards: Series I and H. 10 cents per set of 5 each. 

Syllabus of a Course of Lectures on New York City. 25 cents. 

Teachers' Handbook: Outlines of a Course of Study in Local Geogra- 
phy, History and Government. 25 cents. 

HISTORICAL EXCURSION LEAFLETS, 5 cents each, 
30 Cents per Set. 

No. L— City Hall to Wall Street. 

No. H. — Greenwich Village and Lispenard's Meadows. 

No. HL — The Bowery and East Side. 

No. IV.— Central Park to Van Cortlandt Park. 

No. V. — The 19th Century City: 14th Street to iioth Street. 

No. VL — Fraunces' Tavern. 

No. VII. — South of Wall Street (Revised 1905, with new maps.) 

No. VIII. — Historic Brooklyn. 

CLUB GAMES.— 25 cents. 

ILLUSTRATIONS.— The Club publishes 45 small pictures of the fa- 
mous men, buildings and events of local history. 25 cents per set. 

ILLUSTRATED LECTURES on City History and Government may be 
arranged for children or adults at from $3.00 to $10.00 per lecture plus 
lantern expenses. Reg-ular classes may also be arranged. 

LANTERN SLIDES to illustrate local history and government may be 
hired at 82.00 per set. They should be ordered ten days in advance and 
may be kept three days. The Club has recently acquired several hundred 
rare views. 

HISTORICAL GUIDES may be secured, the price ranging according 
to the size of the party and the distance covered, the minimum fee being 
S3.00. 

Address City History Club, 23 W. 44th St 

Otiice hours : 

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, 3-5 P. M., November to May. 




014 223 608 4 



